Chair iron and seat cushion therefor



Nov. 16, 1948. A. c. GRUNWALD 2,454,057

CHAIR IRON AND SEAT CUSHION THEREFOR Filed May 10, 1943 2 She ets -Sheet 1 15 15 ,gz bepi 0.

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CHAIR IRON AND SEAT CUSHION THEREFOR Filed may 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ji'zzleizior CGr'anzqaZd Patented Nov. 16, 1948 CHAIR :IRQN AND SEAT CUSHION THEREFOR Albert C. Grunwald, River Forest, 111., assignor' to Preeision'Metal Workers, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Original application March 4, 1940, Serial No.

1943, Serial No. 486,371

'4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates generally to seats adapted for use in various articles of furniture, and has particular reference to seats especially suitable for posture chairs.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel seat having a cushion supporting base which is rigid, sturdy and durable in construction andis neat and attractive in appearance.

A further object is to provide a novel one-piece metal seat plate formed with integral stiffening .and reenforcing means.

Still another object is to form the central portion of the seat plate with spaced depressed em-- bossments which serve the plural purposes of stiffening the plate, providing mounting pads for the supporting spider and defining guides for slidably receiving the back support barof a posture chair.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, 7

Figure l is a fragmentary side-elevational view of a chair seat embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom View of the seat.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the seat taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the seat plate.

Fig. 5 is a rear edge view of the plate illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the invention in its broad aspects is adapted for use in various articles of furniture, such, for example, as chairs, stools, seats and cushions. Certain of the features of the invention are especially suitable for use in so-called posture chairs commonly employed in clerical offices and schools. The invention is, therefore, illustrated as embodied in a cushion seat of a posture chair.

The seat comprises a horizontal base plate H] of desired size and outline. Secured to the bottom of the plate ill is a spider I I which is mounted on a vertical pedestal l2 extending upwardly from a leg base (not shown).

The seat plate It! may be made of any suitable material having the required strength and rigidity, and preferably consists of a one-piece metal stamping which is comparatively light in weight and can be formed quickly and economically. Suitable embossments and structural shapes are formed in the plate I!) so as to impart added strength and rigidity, and to provide means advantageous to the attachment and assembly with the seat plate of other elements of the chair. In

bosses 26 in the same horizontal plane.

Divided and this application MaylO,

its preferred form, the plate 10 is provided with an upwardly offset parallel margina1 flange l5 of substantial width. Hence, the plate It has a flat central area It which is depressed and connected to the flange i5 by a short vertical wall ll. Along the front edge and about the front rounded corners, the central depressed portion l 6 of the plate I!) is formed with a marginal depending rib H3. The structural shape defined for the plate I0 provides a strong marginal edge.

The seat with the means for securing the cover thereover is covered in my copending application, Serial No. 322,110, filed March 4, 1940 (now patent No. 2,361,370, issued October 31, 1944),-of which the present application is a division.

The central portion l6 of the metal plate Hl is formed with'two spaced outwardly pressed parallel ribs 25. These ribs'are located substantially midway of the sides of the plate I!) and extend rearwardly substantially to the rear .portion of the notch [9. The forward ends of the ribs 25 are formed with triangular enlargements terminating in outwardly spaced :flat apertured depressed The ribs 25 serve to strengthen and stifien the intermediate portion IG of the plate against flexure. They also define integral guides on the underside of the plate In adapted slidably to receive a back support bar 21. This bar extends rearwardly beyond the seat and then upwardly to support a back rest (not shown).

The bottom surfaces of the guides 25 are flat and define mounting pads for the spider H. In the present instance, the spider comprises two forwardly inclined diverging legs 28 and a rear wardly extending plate 29 integral with the vertical sleeve 30 in which the pedestal I2 is secured. The legs 28 are rigidly secured as by means of rivets to the bosses 26, and the plate 29 bridges the guides 25 and is similarly secured at its rear end to the latter. The guides 25 are of such height that they, in cooperation with the seat plate ID and the top of the spider l l, define a slot or closed guideway 3i conforming closely to the a transverse shape and dimensions of the back sup port bar 21 and, therefore, adapted to receive the end of the latter with a snug sliding fit.

To permit adjustment of the back support horizontally toward and from the seat, the lower end of the bar 27 in the slot 3| is formed with a longitudinal series of holes 32 adapted for selecjtive engagement by a spring actuated releasable plunger 33 mounted on the spider II. By reason of the foregoing construction, the back 31 support bar 21 is confined without play flatly against the underside of the plate l0.

While the seat plate has been disclosed as made of metal, it is to be understood that within the broad aspects of the invention it may be made of other material such as wood, plastic, or molded material.

I claim as my invention:

1. A seat comprising, in combination, a horizontal metal base plate adapted to receive a cushion thereon, two spaced parallel ribs depressed from said plate substantially midway of its sides and extending rearwardly, spaced bosses formed in said plate adjacent the front ends of said ribs, the bottom of said ribs and bosses being flat to provide a mounting surface spaced downwardly from said plate, and a seat supporting spider positioned against said surface and having forwardly diverging arms connected to said bosses and a rearwardly extending plate connectedto said ribs and underlying the intervening space, said ribs and spider defining a closed guideway adapted to receive and support a back support bar with a snug sliding fit directly against the fiat bottom surface of said base plate.

2. A seat comprising, in combination, a horizontal metal base plate, two spaced ribs depressed from said plate intermediate its sides and defining rearwardly extending guides; the bottom of said ribs providing a mounting surface spaced downwardly from said plate, aseat support secured in position against said surface and underlying the intervening space between said ribs, said ribs and support defining a guideway adapted to receive and support a-back support bar with a snug sliding fit against the bottom surface of said plate. L

3. A seat comprising, in combination, a horizontal metal base plate formed with an upwardly offset parallel marginal flange circumscribing'a depressed central portion, said flange being adapted to receive a cushion on its upper side,

two parallel ribs formed on the underside of said central plate portion and extending from front to rear substantially midway of the sides of said plate, a supporting spider rigidly attached in underlying relation to said parallel ribs, said plate, ribs and spider coacting to define a guide- Way adapted to receive a back support bar from the rear with a snug sliding fit, and releasable means on said spider for selectively engaging any one of a series of openings in said back support bar to secure the latter in different positions of adjustment within said guideway.

4. A seat plate comprising, in combination, a horizontal metal base plate adapted to receive a cushion thereon, two spaced parallel ribs depressed from said plate substantially midway of its sides and extending forwardly and rearwardly, spaced bosses formed in said plate adjacent the front ends of said ribs and outwardly to one side thereof, thebottom surfaces of said ribs and bosses being flat and spaced equally from said plate to provide a mounting surface spaced downwardly from said plate for attachment of a seat supporting spider adapted to define with said ribs and plate a guideway for receiving and supporting a back support bar.

ALBERT C. GRUNWALD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 235,360 Hofiman Dec. 14, 1880 350,135 Jacobs f Oct. 5, 1886 1,231,148 Gabrielse June 26, 1917 1,358,273 Wolford Nov. 9, 1920 1,437,630 Zimmerle Dec. 5, 1922 2,054,557 Cramer et a1. Sept. 15, 1936 2,195,241 Cramer et a1 Mar. 26, 1940 2,233,694 Cramer et a1. Mar. 4, 1941 

